Black Cat Keane admits to 'flashbacks' of career disasters and admits the drubbing at Everton is a new one

Last updated at 14:13 30 November 2007

Roy Keane admits he will be haunted for the rest of his life by the low points in his career.

The 36-year-old Sunderland boss suffered mercifully few disasters during his distinguished playing days, but added another entry to his list of football nightmares last weekend when his side were trounced 7-1 at Everton.

The former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland skipper insists not a day goes by without a flashback to one of his more unpleasant memories, and knows the latest will stay with him forever.

Keane, who will lead his side into a real six-pointer against Barclays Premier League basement boys Derby tomorrow, said: "You get flashbacks all the time.

"I look back on my career and probably there were five or six major setbacks I had, and not a day goes by when they do not come back into my head.

"That will happen until the day I die - and last weekend is certainly one of them, and rightly so.

"It is always the setbacks you remember, unfortunately, it is never the good times."

Keane was involved in a series of high-profile disappointments and incidents during his playing career, including his infamous bust-ups with Republic boss Mick McCarthy and Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland.

However, he smiled when asked about the particular memories which come flooding back.

He said: "There were different setbacks - sendings-off, injuries, whatever, club situations, country situations - there would be five or six things that would always stick in your mind.

"You would hope to keep that list fairly short, but last weekend has added another one.

"But it's all about how you react and I have seen other people in different sports and top people react in a positive way and get back to winning ways, and that's what we have got to do on Saturday.

"If we don't learn from last weekend, then obviously, there is something to worry about."

The Black Cats entertain the Rams and new boss Paul Jewell having slipped into the bottom three as a result of their humiliation at Goodison Park, and Keane is expecting a major response.

He said: "That's somewhere we did not want to be - and to be honest, I don't think we deserve to be in there.

"But I have said before many times, the table doesn't lie, I suppose, and we need to react in a positive way.

"We had not been down there this season - I know it's only coming up to Christmas, but it would have been nice to avoid it.

"But having said that, Sheffield United didn't go in there all season last year and they went in on the last day of the season."

For all this week has been about repairing the damage of a bad day on Merseyside to prepare for a big one back in the north-east, longer-term planning has also been on the agenda with the January transfer window looming large.

Keane and chairman Niall Quinn have held talks and are preparing to make their moves.

The manager said: "I have had one or two meetings this week with (chief scout) Mick Brown and one or two of the other scouts, and we are due another one next week.

"But I spoke to Niall this week and I am well aware of what funds are available, what funds aren't available and what needs to be done in terms of players hopefully coming in and possibly players going out.

"That will take shape probably more so over the next two weeks because you certainly like to get the ball rolling on making contact with certain clubs about certain players."